How do Google reviews differ from reviews on other sites?

Where does each type of review come from?

Google's review-score guidance says the review score on Search and Maps is the average of all ratings published on Google for that place or business, using a 1-to-5-star scale. By contrast, Google describes third-party reviews as reviews from websites that are not Google. Their appearance depends on the business type and location, so a third-party review may be visible on a Business Profile without being a Google-hosted review. Read the Google reviews hub. For the broader review process, see how Google reviews work.

Google may show a short review or rating snippet from an aggregator website. Google says the displayed rating is usually the average of that review website's scores.

How can you tell whether a review came from Google or another site?

Use the source link shown with the review or score. Google's third-party-review guidance says you can identify the originating site in either of these ways:

• Click the highlighted third-party name.
• Click Open in new window next to the review or aggregated score.

The destination identifies the originating third-party site. Google says the business cannot choose which website a third-party review comes from or stop reviews from other websites.

What is the practical difference between Google and third-party reviews?

This is the source-backed distinction an owner can use when deciding what to do next:

The last row has an important limit: Google's general third-party guidance says to contact the other website directly for an issue with a third-party review or rating. Google's removal rule applies to Google-hosted reviews: only reviews that violate Google's policies are eligible for removal.

Can a business reply to both kinds of review?

A verified business can reply to reviews on its Google Business Profile. Google's reply guidance says Google reviews business replies for compliance with its content policies; replies usually take up to 10 minutes to review, but sometimes a review can take up to 30 days. For the Google reply steps, see how to respond to Google reviews.

For a review on another website, open the third-party source and contact that website directly about its review or rating.

Who can remove a review from where it originated?

For a Google-hosted review, report it through Google's review-reporting route only when it appears to violate a Google policy. Google says review evaluation typically takes several days; if a flagged review does not qualify for removal, the owner can submit a one-time appeal and select up to 10 reviews. Google says only reviews that violate its policies are eligible for removal. Do not report a review merely because you disagree with or dislike it.

For third-party review material, contact the originating website about its review or rating. Google says businesses cannot choose which website a third-party review comes from or stop reviews from other websites. Its guidance adds a specific exception: businesses in the European Economic Area can report third-party reviews directly on Google. For hotels outside the EEA, Google says the provider must be contacted through its website, and a later provider change is reflected on the Business Profile.

What should you do when you see a review on your Business Profile?

Use this sequence so the wrong site does not receive the wrong request:

1. Open the review or aggregated score and identify whether it is hosted by Google or linked to another site.
2. If it is a Google review, reply after verifying the Business Profile, and report it only if it appears to violate a Google policy. Read how Google review removal works.
3. If it is third-party material, open the originating site and contact that website about its review or rating.
4. Google defines reviews or ratings influenced by payment, discounts, free goods or services, or another benefit offered to the reviewer as incentivized reviews or ratings. Google says offering incentives in exchange for reviews undermines content integrity and can mislead consumers. Google defines rating manipulation as any direct or indirect attempt to influence a place's star rating through fake or misleading content, including soliciting fake reviews, coercing or pressuring customers for specific ratings or reviews, and coordinated campaigns to unfairly inflate or deflate a place's rating.
5. If you are asking for more reviews, see how to get more Google reviews.

If the issue is with a third-party review or rating, Google says to contact the other website directly.